Telephone.



P. Q. DUTTON. TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1912.

Patented J an. 19, 1915.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATIQQRWIEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERA NK Q. DUTTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO EMANUEL G. KOLB, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TELEPHONE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19,1915.

Application filed March 22, 1912. Serial No. 685,443.

To cZZzr/iomit may concern: I

' Be it known that I, FRANK Q. DUT'iTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephones, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying illustrations.

This invention particularly relates to a silencer for telephones, the principal object of which is to prevent the transmission of sounds not intended to be directed to the party listening at the opposite end of the telephone line.

Other objects of this invention are, to provide a medium upon which advertising matter may be cheaply and conspicuously displayed. and to form such advertising medium with a portion substantially conform ing to the mouthpiece of the transmitter, and having a suitable surface for receiving the advertising matter, and a resilient portion for mullling the transmitter, by frictionally engaging the walls of the mouthpiece. p

It is common practice for one speaking. over a telephone to divert his conversation, particularly by way of questions, to a person in close proximity to the local telephone set. and at the same time to mutiie the transmitter by placing his hand over the mouthpiece, to prevent the party at the other end of the telephone line from hearing the local conversation. It often happens, however, that the party using the.instrument desires to carry on a conversation in the same room in which the telephone set is located, or an adjoining room, and at the same time to be himself reviewing records or other data at such a distance from the telephone set as would preclude his silencing the transmitter.

It will be obvious that the device herein and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified. a

The silencing device may be best understood from f the accompanying illustrations,

in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a telephone set showing the receiver detached from the switch-hook, and a silencer conveniently constructed in accordance with this invention. coo )erativelv en a ed in the" 'Which, being removed from the switchhook 6, indicates that the telephone set is in operative connection with a complementary telephone set at the other end of a telephone line.

The silencer 12 is shown in operative position within the mouthpiece 10 of the transmitter 7, and comprises the tapering body portion 14, preferably formed of a solid material, such as Wood, and substantially conforming to the contour of said mouthpiece, and the resilient tip 15 preferably formed of a resilient material, such as cork, rubber, etc, secured to the free tapered end of the body 1 1, and arranged to be forced into said mouthpiece and to support the silencer by its frictional engagement with the walls thereof.

As best shown in Fig. l, the silencer may be conveniently supported upon the instrument, when not in use, by a flexible cord 16 conveniently attached to the silencer body 14 by the retaining tack or screw 17, and having its free end looped over the mouthpiece 10 of the transmitter 7 and suspended thereflrom, as shown in dotted lines in As best shown in Fig. 2, the silencer body 14 is provided at itslarger end with a rim 20 surrounding a substantially flat surface 21, upon which advertising matter 22 may be applied, either by impresing or printing directly upon said surface, or by pasting printed labels thereon.

Although the silencer as shown in Fig. 1 relies principally upon its frictionally engaged smaller end, it is obvious that its larger end may as readily obstruct the orifice of the mouthpiece.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the silencer is provided with spring clips 26, which may be conveniently engaged with the peripheral margin of the mouthpiece to hold said silencer in position to obstruct the orifice of said mouthpiece.

It will beobvious that by constructin the silencer in the manner above describe such advertising matter as may be placed thereon will be conspicuous in either its operative or inoperative position, and that the natural tendency when using the telephone set Will be to pick up the silencer to ascertain its purpose, and read the advertisement thereon.

It is not desired to limit this invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the essential features of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

by contact with the restricted portion there-,

of to support said silencer therein, the body portion of said silencer being out of contact with said mouthpiece.

for the display '0 advertising 2. A silencer for a telephone, comprising a Wooden body portion formed to loosely enter the mouthpiece of the telephone, one end of said body portion being adapted for the display of advertising matter, and a contact portion formed of cork rigidly aflixed upon the other end of said body portion and operative to support said silencer within said mouthpiece y frictional engagement With the interior thereof, the body portion of said silencer being out ofcontact with said mouthpiece.

3; A" silencer for aitelep hone, comprising out of contact with the interior of 1 said mouthpiece, and means operative to support said silencer fromsaid mouthpiece when in inoperative position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of March, A. D., 1912.

FRANK Q. DUTTON.

Witnesses:

CLIFTON G. HALLOWELL, ALEXANDER PARK. 

